HINDUISM REVIEW PROJECT

By: Krista Dunlap, Vishal Tantod, Duran Delgadillo, Teryn Batiste, Keirith Atwal

18 April 2013IB World Religions

Fundamental Questions…• What is the human condition? - Hindus believe humans

are caught in samsara: the atman (soul) is condemned to an endless cycle of reincarnation as a result of karma (actions). Bad karma has a corrupting effect on the universe.

• Where are we going? - To a favourable or unfavourable reincarnation after death or to moksha (liberation) from samsara and the consequences of karma

• How do we get there ? - either performing actions pertinent to the dharma (law or teachings) of Hinduism or to the law or teachings of jati (one’s caste): that is, the varnashramadharma (pertinent to higher castes) or following one of the yogic paths, for example, Jnana (path of knowledge), Bhakti (path of devotion), or Karma (path of action)

Hindu Rituals The Hindus believe that by performing the rituals they can get rid of hostile

influences and at the same time can attract beneficial ones so that they may progress in their life materially and spiritually without any impediments. (Samsara)

Sacrifices: In the Aryan days, the chief manner of worship was open air sacrifice. Including animals, food, drinks, and plants. Horse sacrifice was the most elaborate in that times but that has significantly been reduced today.

Puja(Prayer): Type of worship involving hymns(mantras), Ritual materials(Brahmanas). Hinduism has mostly domestic worship, where most people pray from their house, and occasionally visit temples or shrines to worship certain diety or are required for a festival.

Rites of Passage: Naming Ceremony, first solid food feeding, Initiation, and Marrige. There are other small ones, but these are practiced the most.

Naming Ceremony: This ritual is normally performed on the tenth or the twelfth day after the birth of a child. Some name their child after their family deity or ancestors or the month deity. However, the child retains his or her family name. Hindus believe that a person without a name is not recognized as a human being. A man earns his fame because of his name.

Rituals Continued… First Solid food feeding (annaprasana): This ritual is performed

in the sixth month of the child’s birth. This is mainly to facilitate the child for better development of body and mind.

Initiation (upanayana): After the initiation an individual is considered twice-born (dwija). To prepare an young man to become a respectable citizen, and to preserve the importance of his own clan. Such as Brahmins, Ksatriyas and Vysyas, but not for Sudras. They must wear a sacred thread, different thread for each caste. Ties into the whole concept of Dharma, Moksha, and Karma.

Marriage: Bondage and mutual understanding between husband and wife. The husband is considered to be one half and the other half is his wife. It also aimed at the establishment of family and kinship. Rituals include: walking around Agni(fire) seven times, saying your vows, etc.

Rituals Continued… Holidays/Festivals: Holi, Raksabandhana, Kumbh Mela, Dasehra,

Navaratri, and Diwali. Holi: Festival of colors, celebrated each year during February/March to

welcome Spring. Dedicated to god Krishna and also dedicated to the destruction of demons. During this holiday many of the caste and taboo restrictions are set aside.

Raksabandhana: Celebrated each year during July-August. This is basically renewing bonds between brothers and sisters.

Kumbh Mela: Pilgrimage every 3 years to one of the four cities(Haridwar, Allahabad, Nasik and Ujjain) in India during July-August. To bathe in the sacred river at each one of the place. Believed that nectar fell from pitchers(Kumbh) carried by gods to these places.

Dasehra: Nine days of October in honor of Durga, a consort of Shiva. This celebrates Durga's victory over the Buffalo demon. Exchanging presents and dancing and processions to honor Durga.

Rituals Continued… Navaratri: festival of Shakti or Rama's victory over

Ravana during September-October. This ties to Dasehra. Celebrated by dancing, singing, and setting Ravana on fire.

Diwali: In November, Hindus welcome the new year with festival of lights. The goddesses Kali(the consort of Shiva) and Laxmi(good fortune) tie into this. Lakshmi visits every house that is lit with a lamp and brings to it prosperity and good fortune. This holiday also celebrated with fireworks.

Pictures of Hindu Festivals/Holidays

Kumbh Mela Holi

Diwali

Sacred Texts: VedasThe Vedas: The Oldest and Most Sacred Books of Hinduism

1. Basic source of Hindu understanding of universe upon which all later Hindu texts comment

• Uncertainty regarding time of composition. • Likely began as an oral tradition then created texts• Final form of Vedas written in language called Vedic, a predecessor of early

Sanskrit• Vedas function in modern Hinduism analogously to the way the Hebrew

scriptures function in Christianity and Islam2. Four basic Vedic books

• The Rig-Veda (hymns to Aryan gods)• The Yajur-Veda (rites and material to be recited during sacrifices to the

gods)• The Sama-Veda (chants and verses from basic hymns sung by priest at

sacrifices• The Atharva-Veda (rituals and prayers for domestic use, as well as spells

and incantations to ward off evil).

Sacred Texts: Vedas Continued…3. Four basic parts to each of the Vedic books

• Hymns (mantras) to the gods, considered to be the most ancient material in the Vedic literature

• Ritual materials (Brahmanas)• Forest treatises (Aranyakas) for hermits• Philosophical materials (Upanishads)

4. The most important gods in the Vedas• Indra, god of the thunderbolt, clouds, rain, and ruler of

heaven; object of most hymns in Vedic literature• Agni, god of fire, priests, and priest of the gods• Varuna, god who presides over the order of the universe and

who forgives sins• Vishnu and Rudra/Shiva receive only minor attention in Vedic

books but later become major gods in Hinduism

Sacred Texts: Upanishads1. These early philosophical statements

became the basis of Hinduism2. Collection of about 200 Vedic philosophical

treatises 3. Fourteen principal Upanishads4. Earliest Upanishad originated in ninth

century B.C.E.

Sacred Texts: Law of Manu1. Traditional Indian literature produced around the same

time as the Vedas2. Ethical text written between 300 B.C.E. and 300 C.E.3. Illustrates ethical and social standards held as ideals

during the classical era of Indian history and the effects of the religious/philosophical teachings of the Vedas on society

4. Reveals roots of social and religious traditions of modern Hinduism

5. The varna system of social stratification. (Brahmin (priest), Raja (ruler), Vaishya (artisans, merchants, farmers), Shudra (servant).

6. The law of Manu teaches cyclical view of time/history

Sacred Texts: Bhagavad Gita1. This epic poem is about a great battle and relates

the struggles of heroes and gods2. Epic poem of Indian culture and religion, analogous

to Homeric poems of Greek culture and religion3. Bhagavad Gita is chapters 25 to 42 of the longer

epic called the Mahabharata (13 volumes in English translation)

4. The Bhagavad Gita is dialogue prior to battle between the warrior Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna

5. The basic teaching of the Bhagavad Gita is that people should perform the duties of their caste and thus avoid karma

Doctrines/Beliefs: Classical Gods• Classical-Gods were worshiped with sacrifices offered on

altars built in the open. Priests were experts in rituals and methods of sacrifice were very important

• -At the close of classical period subtle changes: Existence of many gods still acknowledged but interest tended to center on the worship of fewer deities.

• -classical more optimistic to post-classical life-denying pessimism :Life is an endless cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. The ascetic who refuses the pleasures and comforts of life is the religious hero.

Doctrines/Beliefs: Post-Classical Gods• -Bhakti-marga (the way of devotion): through giving religious devotion to

gods/goddess (via worship in temples, offering sacrifices, supporting priests of the temple etc) they  support you and help you with the struggles in life.

• Brahma: Receives least attention among the three major gods, has no cult of devotees. Wife: Sarasvati, goddess of knowledge, poetry, speech, wisdom

• Shiva: The most popular gods in post-classical Hinduism.The god of death, destruction, disease, but also of reproduction, sexuality, fertility, and dance. Shivaivites believe he is the ultimate reality (creator, destroyer, preserver.) Associated with Kali, more destructive than shiva, and Paravati who is the perfect wife/mother.

• Vishnu:The god of love, benevolence, forgiveness, play. Appeared in nine different forms (avatars) to assist humans. Tenth avatar of Vishnu, Kalkin, will come at end of world to judge wicked and reward virtuous. His devotees see him as the ultimate reality.Wife: Lakshmi, guardian of world’s welfare, goddess of fertility, wealth, victory

Doctrines/Beliefs: Devotion to Knowledge• -People can choose one or more of the gods to devote themselves to.• -Way of knowledge (jnana-marga)- for the wealthy or intellectuals who have

time and money to study philosophical implications of sacred writings.• -All systems of knowledge believe aim at release, rebirth, and pre-

existence.• -The Sankhya system: recognizes no personal gods, may be viewed as an

atheistic approach to life. Sees universe as a dualism of forces of spirit (purusha) and matter (prakriti).

• -Yoga system: also views world as dualism, and teaches that one should yoke/ join the individual spirit (atman) to god (brahman). Main feature is meditation. Various forms of yoga; Raja Yoga stresses mental and spiritual development. One works to free the mind from anger, lust, hatred, greed etc.

• -The Mimansa system: Primary concern: avoiding rebirth by obeying laws laid down in Vedas and performing rites established in them. Early forms were atheistic but later forms contain prayers to Shiva

Doctrines/Beliefs Continued…• -The Vaisheshika system: Vaisheshika means “particularity:”Universe

has nine distinct, particular eternal elements: earth, water, air, fire, soul, mind, ether, time, space. No gods necessary to universe

• -The Nyaya system: Founded by Gautama who wrote the Nyaya Sutra. Like advocates of Vaisheshika he was essentially atheistic and believed in the reality of the world. This system is primarily concerned with logical analysis as a means of arriving at a truth about the world.

• -The Vedata System: Based on Upanishadic writings and their outlook on life. Contrast to Sankhya system, is monistic and assumes one true essence in the universe, god/brahman. The world we see is based on false knowledge (maya), everything does not really exist, brahman is the only reality. Humankind's problem is ignorance, not wickedness. Non dualism/Advaita Vedanta (non-dual) developed by Shankara in ninth century C.E, qualifies one reality.

Religious Experience: Prayer• Classical Hinduism= Sacrifice to 100’s of individual

deities, prayer not viewed as important• Post-Classical Hinduism= Prayer conducted to all Hindu

Deities, but mainly focused on Brahma, Shiva & Vishnu • Organized Prayer conducted at Mandir (Temple), but most

prayer is done at the home- Worship to several religious shrines and relics (Taj Mahal)- Religious Experience involves hymns from Vedas,

Bhagavard Gita and lots of Hindu mythology

Religious Experience: Conversion• Classical Hinduism -a lot of conversion from various groups across India (Aryan influence)• Post-Classical & Modern Hinduism -Very little conversion... No active missionaries-Hinduism is a growing religion however (self-sustained)-Largest concentration in India-More Hindu immigrants to Western world because of work, education, technology

* No formal procedure for Conversion. New Converts just have to abide by the Hindu doctrines and practice prayer to Hindu Deities.

Religious Experience: Caste System• Four basic Varnas that establish Caste SystemBrahmins: PriestsKshatriyas: Warriors and ChieftansVaishyas: Commoners and merchantsShudras: landless, poorest class

- Caste restricts marriages, property and association

- 100’s of Caste’s in Modern system today. Though not enforced, Caste System still present and reflected in modern day India

Religious Experience GenderGender EqualityIn Doctrine Hinduism is very equal for gender- Many Female Deities of Power (Lakshmi, Sarasvati &

Kali) - Modern India has Gender Problems(Issues with educating Women)(Women marrying later)

- Religious Ceremonies include both menand women

Ethics and Moral ConductHinduism Case Study- RapeIn Hinduism the status of women can be seen as fairly

elevated, if not equal to men in some cases, compared to that of other religions, and even though they may have rights, they are often treated poorly. Today however, women in India are often seen as subordinate to men and are treated as less.

A New Delhi woman was kidnapped after getting on a bus by the driver and another man and then taken to an undisclosed location where the two men and five other men brutally gangraped her

Hinduism Case Study continued…This recent event, along with another incident of rape

caused an international uproar and rallies protesting the treatment of women.

Fortunately the government acted accordingly and charged all seven men with murder, rape, and kidnapping where they will be face the death penalty if convicted.

This causes much conflict within Hinduism, as according to

Hinduism, women are a form of energy and as mothers they are worthy of worship.

Hinduism Case Study continued…"Women must be honored and adorned by their fathers,

brothers, husbands, and brothers in law, who desire their own welfare. Where women are honored, there the gods are pleased; but where they are not honored, no sacred rite yields rewards. Where the female relations live in grief, the family soon wholly perishes; but that family where they are not unhappy ever prospers. The houses on which female relations, not being duly honored, pronounce a curse, perish completely, as if destroyed by magic. Hence men who seek (their own) welfare, should always honor women on holidays and festivals with (gifts of) ornaments, clothes and (dainty) food." (Manu Smriti III.55-59)

END.